Contact: Peter Chadwick, ext 6728 email: [email protected]

1. Summary

1.1 Temporary planning permissions have been granted for extended hours at Star Hill Waste Transfer Facility. The latest temporary permission expired at the end of May 2005, and permission is sought to retain the extended hours of working permanently. Operation of the site has given rise to complaints from residents of the neighbouring residential caravan site about late night noise. Therefore it is considered the retention of these hours would be unacceptable. However, reversion to the original hours would cause operational problems for the applicant, therefore revised hours of 0700 to 2000 are recommended for approval.

2. Site and Proposal

2.1 The site, as shown on the attached plan, is an operational waste transfer station and recycling facility. Access is onto the B3016, and close to the A30. The site adjoins the Thames Basin Heaths Special Protection Area (SPA) and Bramshill Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The adjoining land to the east is worked for sand and gravel extraction. A residential caravan site adjoins the site to the south.

2.2 The original planning permission included a condition restricting hours of operation to 0730 to 1800 Monday to Friday, and 0730 to 1300 on Saturday, with no working on Sunday or bank holidays. Temporary permissions for extended hours of working have been granted since 1998. The latest permission expires at the end of May 2005. The proposal is for the following extended hours to apply permanently:

(i) within the waste transfer/recycling building - between 0700 and 2200 hours Monday to Saturday;

(ii) outside the building - between 0700 and 2200 hours Monday to Saturday excluding public holidays; between 0800 and 1800 hours on public holidays;

(iii) vehicle garage/workshop - between 0700 and 1900 hours, and between 1900 and 0700 hours subject to the approved noise mitigation scheme; and

(iv) notwithstanding the above no skips shall be moved outside the hours of between 0730 and 1800 Monday to Friday and between 0730 and 1300 hours on Saturday.

3. Development Plan

3.1 Hampshire Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan Policy 7 concerns proposals at waste sites.

4. Consultations

4.1 Hart District Council - comments awaited.

4.2 Environmental Health, Hart recommends that there are no activities on public bank holidays.

4.3 Environment Agency - no comments received.

4.4 Hartley Wintney Parish Council raises no objection.

4.5 English Nature raises no objection.

4.6 Highways Adviser raises no objection.

4.7 Gypsy Liaison Officer comments that the caravan site manager has kept a log of complaints, which show consistent complaints about noise over the last ten months. Therefore raises objection to the application.

4.8 The local Member, Councillor Simpson, has been informed. The previous local member, Councillor Glen, was informed when the application was submitted.

5. Representations

5.1 Letter of objection and log of complaints received from Star Hill Caravan Site Residents' Association. The noise complaints were mainly about the early hours of the morning. In addition 19 letters of objection received from residents of the caravan site.

6. Chief Planning Adviser's Comments

6.1 The consents for extended hours of working were granted on a temporary basis to enable the hours to be reconsidered if problems arose for the residents of the neighbouring caravan site. It is clear that there have been noise complaints, and therefore it is considered that to maintain these extended hours of operation is unacceptable. However it is recognised that there are operational difficulties for the applicant in reverting to the original permitted hours. Therefore it is recommended that an extension of hours to 0700 to 2000 would be acceptable, with the site being closed outside these hours. This would prevent the late night noise disturbance which has been the prime cause of complaint.

Recommendation

That planning permission in respect of Variation of Condition 5 of Planning Permission 94/00395/CMA and Condition 4 of Planning Permission 96/00710/CMA to extend the hours of working at Star Hill Waste Transfer Facility, Hartley Wintney (05/00685/CMA) be approved, subject to the following conditions:

Reason for Approval

It is considered that the proposal would be in accordance with the development plan (summary attached) and would not materially harm the amenity of local residents.

Conditions

Hours of Working

(1) Except with the prior agreement of the Waste Planning Authority in writing, no operations shall be carried out and plant and vehicles shall not be operated other than during the following hours:

(i) 0700 to 2000 Monday to Saturday excluding public holidays; and

(ii) 0800 to 1800 hours on public holidays; and

(iii) notwithstanding the above no skips shall be moved between the hours of 0730 and 1800 Monday to Friday and 0730 and 1300 hours on Saturday.

Reason: In the interests of local amenity.

9275/PDC

Annexe to Reasons for Conditions

(as required by Article 22 of the Town and Country Planning

(General Procedure) Order 1995 - as amended)

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Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton Minerals and Waste Local Plan (Adopted) 1998

Policy 7

The Mineral and Waste Planning Authorities will grant planning permission for minerals and waste development provided they are satisfied that, where appropriate, the proposed development pays due regard to:

(i) the relationship of the proposal site to other properties and land uses (particularly residential and other environmentally sensitive properties) and the likely effects of the proposed development on the locality by reason of noise, dust, smoke, fumes, illumination or any other factor and the need for buffer zones between the development and residential and other properties;

(ii) the likely volume and nature of traffic that would be generated by the proposed development and the suitability of the proposed access to the site and of the road network that would be affected, in terms of highway capacity and safety and environmental impact, and whether any highway improvements required could be carried out satisfactorily without causing unacceptable environmental impact;

(iii) the likely visual impact of the proposed development and the need for additional planting and screening, including planting in advance of the commencement of the development;

(iv) the need to safeguard the character and amenities of individual settlements and to safeguard open gaps between settlements from permanent development which would cause long-term harm to the function of the land;

(v) the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to protect and safeguard sites of nature conservation, geological, archaeological, historic, architectural and landscape importance and their settings;

(vi) the extent and quality of agricultural land to be taken by the proposed development and the proposals for its subsequent restoration and the likely effects of the proposals on farm structure and management;

(vii) the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to maintain the distinctive character of the landscape; the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to safeguard and protect individual species, habitats and landscape features, including woodland, trees and hedgerows; and the likely effects of the proposed development on forestry and woodland management;

(viii) the likely effects of the proposed development on sites used for recreation and public rights of way and the need to protect or secure the satisfactory diversion of public rights of way;

(ix) the likely effects of the proposed development on and the need to safeguard the flow and quality of watercourses, water supplies, floodplains, groundwater, the drainage of the site and adjoining land and the level of the water table in the locality and the likely effects of the proposed development on the immediate setting of any river;

(x) any potential danger to aircraft from birds being attracted to the site;

(xi) the possible amenity implications of any landfill gas that might be generated at the site and of any provisions that might need to be made to deal with it; and

(xii) the likely cumulative impact of the proposed development in combination with any other significant development taking place or permitted to take place in the locality and the need to minimise the impact of mineral extraction and waste disposal operations by securing, where appropriate, the phased release of sites and progression of working and restoration.